By Len Wallick
 |
The focus of yesterday’s blog was accessing the new rendition of the cardinal T-square in your physical body and intuition. Precipitated by retrograde Uranus’ return to Pisces until next March, it is the first time Jupiter has been alone in early Aries, opposed to Saturn in Libra and in a square to Pluto in Capricorn. One might say that Jupiter is now fully fledged, flying solo for the first time.
The cardinal T-square now has acquired some layers: that Jupiter represents expansion and Saturn contraction, and their opposition represents the knotty problem of integration of opposing principles. Their mutual square to Pluto represents the path to resolution through conscious evolution. The long-term consequence of the long-term aspects is to reboot patterns and paradigms for an even longer time. The experience and practice of relationship will, to a great extent determine how it all turns out.
That’s a lot to intellectualize, much less keep track of. That’s how we came to offer such exercises as drawing basic diagrams and actually getting out under the sky and pointing your arms here and there. The more you can feel the T-square the easier it will be to feel your way through what may seem like externally enforced changes. The less you have to think about it, the more authentic your responses will be.
So hold those drawing experiences and the physical enactment in your body memory and let’s move on to what this busy week is bringing. First, as already alluded to, Jupiter’s expansion ethic may seem a little shaky now without the boost of Uranus’ encouragement towards self-actualization. Don’t believe it when that comes up inside. It is balance with Saturn’s admonitions that will keep us whole when we participate or are dragged through the process of Plutonian transformation. If we yield entirely to Saturn now, our evolutionary growth will be stunted. Fly like a young bird by being persistent in your practice. Results will come with consistent effort and time.
A big part of that time element is the fact that Saturn exacts the last of three square aspects to Pluto as this week draws to a close. A series that began last October, it defined what may be called “a” if not “the” previous rendition of the cardinal alignment by introducing the trans-personal element. When that happened, whipper-snapper Jupiter was still in Aquarius as part of a triple conjunction with Neptune and Chiron. This week will turn the corner on that. It initiated the connection of our everyday life to the formative abstract of history.
That is not to say that Saturn is heading for the bench. This will be gradual. The Ringed One will persist as a functional part of the T-Square for a long time. After this week however, it will proceed to eventually diminish its influence even as Jupiter and eventually Uranus step in to take their turns modulating Pluto’s re-creation of pattern and paradigm.
Also taking place at the end of the week are the conjunction of Venus and Mars in Libra concurrent to the hour with Mercury’s retrograde station in Virgo.
Long in development and dramatic in its manifestation, the conjunction of Venus and Mars at the 14th degree of Libra has a curious quality of not being fully defined even at this late date. Nevertheless, it’s been a stirring tale. It really started last March when Venus trail-blazed its way across the Aries point, showing Uranus and Jupiter how it’s done. This took place just days before Mars stationed direct in the first degree of Aries. Hence a hot fire trine initiated a long, romantic chase.
Month after month, sign after sign, Venus set precedent after precedent for planets that would follow after. Even Mercury acquiesced to Venus taking the lead. But all through that, milestone after milestone, Venus had designs set on this conjunction. Now, romantically, it takes place at the last moment, on the same day of Venus’ maximum elongation to the East. Venus catches Mars just as she succumbs to exhaustion. Does that stir your heart or what?
But there’s something not quite so storybook about this. The conjunction takes place in Libra, a cardinal sign, focus of the T-square and all it implies. It as if to say that even the most romantic personal relationship is not exempt from the big picture. That there is no place to hide, no exclusion to the tide of history. Of course, we have seen this before. Ernest Hemingway and Boris Pasternak have written compelling novels on the theme. Now it’s us and it’s part of the integration process in the Jupiter-Saturn opposition because, after all, Libra is ruled by Venus and Aries is ruled by Mars.
So while we may be well advised to steel our hearts and teach our children to do the same, this conjunction is not over yet. Such a long and arduous pursuit must certainly yield a benefit for Mars and a blessing for Venus. Just how is what we should keep our eye on in the coming weeks.
Ah yes, the coming weeks which will characterized and possibly dominated by what promises to be one deep and broad Mercury retrograde in Virgo. Before this year began, it was Capricorn where Mercury stationed in late December and Capricorn where it transpired into January. Then it was entirely in Taurus with a retrograde station that just preceded by days the Sun’s ingress to the same sign, and now Virgo. The third Earth sign in a row to contain a Mercury retrograde. Is the third time a charm? That’s where we will continue on Thursday.
Offered In Service
Well I can add, that I am indeed exhausted….this summer and the Grand Cross from hell has definitely challenged me to grow and stay present even in the midst of one minor crisis after another. There have been so many highs, but the lows and somewhat brutal waiting for things to become clear through so many incarnations and transmutations has somewhat sucked the life out of me. Today I’m feeling it and thank you for reminding me……
On the upside, in my personal Venus-Mars storyline I am experiencing a positive shift in a relationship that began in late March nearing a point of shall I say, “Fruition”. It is now sitting on my Libra 14 Descendant…..somebody please tell me that’s gotta be good news for this love story? 🙂
Off to jump in the ocean-that ALWAYS takes the edge off and rejuvenates:)
victoria
Hi Len! Maybe I was the ‘tired’ frazzled’ one huh? After all, Mars arrives just as Venus is exhausted! Prophetic words my friend, but you have been working incredibly hard – and your work is always a joy to read – and the tired and frazzled observation was certainly not a criticism or opinion regarding your writing style (which I never tire of!). My message was offered in the spirit of care, and I’m pleased to know that you do manage to rest up – if it’s been a trying time for readers of your work, I can only assume it must be exponentially more tiring for the analyst and writer.
Smiles to you,
Indrani
Thank you Len, I am so very happy you are here with a little light for us.
There has been so much exciting astrology going on these past few months, and I naively hoped that after all the anticipation and optimism things would shape into something really nice in August. But it seems like we just keep marching on, and I feel for the first time in awhile ” tired” and “frazzled” 🙂
I think underlying it, is this terrible fear that I/we will miss out on something. That the “consistent effort” has not been defined correctly! ( by myself not planet waves of course)
OK, thank you all for making me feel that its OK to vent on here 🙂
zoe
lol! re: “real” work.
I’ve a friend who says, “there are no small steps or big steps – only “steps”.
I got it.
I’ve been “getting it” but I couldn’t see the whole 9 yards.
I can see it.
I’ve got it.
Real work beginning now.
xo
Len,
I want to chime in and say that your writing doesn’t “feel” frazzled to me at all. More like a carefully crafted, step-by-step information sharing that benefits everyone.
I certainly don’t know HOW you do it every day but that you do it is a wonderful thing.
Thanks. 🙂
Yes, Len – fantabulous once again. Heartening too. x
Len, thank you. once again you were speaking directly to me. a marvelous thing, that.
Great post Len
Thank you
Indrani,
Of course i must take responsibility for your perception of me. In addition i thank you for your concern. Nevertheless i’m a bit puzzled. Had an especially relaxing time this weekend at a gathering at a shrine on the shores of the Pilchuk River. i’m open to any suggestions you may have as to how my writing can be made to appear less “frazzled” and more reflective of my true state which is feeling so very, very fortunate to be of service to you and the Planet Waves community at this particular time.
Well, during almost all of this coming Mercury retrograde that boss that has been giving me fits will be on vacation! I’m with Be, I’m exhausted, Venus is exhausted, Mercury is going retrograde (this boss was hired by the board and started working for us during the last one, sheesh), I don’t know that I can steel my heart any more, maybe I can use the three weeks to heal up some things and remember that “results will come with consistent effort and time”.
Hi Len, talk about “Venus catching Mars just as she succumbs to exhaustion” – you seem exhausted and on the verge of frazzled! Maybe time for a little breather yourself? Just in time for Mercury’s retrograde in Virgo – after your exhaustive analysis over the past couple of months a rest seems well deserved.
Take care,
Indrani
You bring up a good point Len. That Venus rules Libra and Mars rules Aries, and that Saturn is in Libra and Jupiter is in Aries and their opposition is still potent, and noting that Mars is not his most effective in Libra, would explain a lot of the stupidity of this whole discussion of the proposed Muslim center building in New York near the site of the Twin Towers demolition, or 9/11. Mercury at his most nit-pickyish in Virgo AND slowest due to the coming retrograde, adds to the incredulity of the inane conversations about the “rightness or wrongness” of doing so. Good grief.
I guess we (as a whole) are just so backed up with anger and frustration that we will grab any topic that smacks of favoritism (to the other guy) and cry foul. It amazes me that this country has sunk to this level of discourse and I can only hope that when Venus and Mars do finally get together, and Mercury goes retrograde it will subside. No wonder she’s exhausted. So am I!
be